Day 5: Skandamata Pooja – The Worship of the Divine Mother

🔹 Significance of Skandamata Pooja

🌿 Maa Skandamata represents the power of a mother’s love and protection and blesses devotees with:

✅ Wisdom, intelligence, and success in life.
✅ Divine protection and courage.
✅ Motherly love, peace, and happiness in family life.
✅ Spiritual knowledge and liberation.
✅ Good health and strength for children.

💡 Maa Skandamata’s blessings remove ignorance, bring clarity, and lead to a peaceful life.

🔹 Iconography & Symbolism of Maa Skandamata

🦁 She rides a lion, representing fearlessness and maternal strength.
🌿 She holds lotus flowers, symbolizing spiritual awakening and purity.
🛡️ Her son Kartikeya sits on her lap, showing her protective nature.
✨ She radiates divine light, symbolizing wisdom and intelligence.

🕉️ Maa Skandamata teaches us the power of unconditional love, wisdom, and courage.

🔹 Pooja Vidhi (Step-by-Step Rituals of Skandamata Pooja)

1️⃣ Sankalp (Sacred Resolution)

📌 The devotee takes a vow to worship Maa Skandamata with devotion and prays for wisdom, success, and protection.
📌 A Kalash (holy water pot) is placed, invoking divine blessings.
📌 The devotee seeks Maa’s grace to remove ignorance and bring clarity in life.

2️⃣ Kalash Sthapana (Ghatasthapana)

📌 A Kalash filled with water, mango leaves, and coconut is placed on the altar.
📌 A swastika is drawn with kumkum on the Kalash.
📌 The Kalash is worshipped as the seat of Maa Skandamata’s divine energy.

3️⃣ Ganesh Poojan – Worship of Lord Ganesha

📌 Before invoking Maa Skandamata, Lord Ganesha is worshipped to remove all obstacles.
📌 Durva grass, sweets, and flowers are offered to Lord Ganesha.

🌺 This ensures a smooth and successful Navratri Pooja.

4️⃣ Invocation of Maa Skandamata (Dhyana & Pran Pratishta)

📌 The devotee meditates upon Maa Skandamata and chants her Beej Mantra:

🌸 “Om Devi Skandamatayai Namah!” 🌸

📌 A lamp (diya) is lit, and the idol or picture of Maa Skandamata is placed on the altar.

5️⃣ Abhishek (Sacred Bath of Maa Skandamata’s Idol)

📌 The idol or picture of Maa Skandamata is bathed with sacred ingredients, each symbolizing divine blessings:

✅ Milk – For nourishment and motherly blessings
✅ Curd (Dahi) – For purity and prosperity
✅ Honey (Madhu) – For sweetness in life
✅ Ghee – For strength and longevity
✅ Gangajal (Sacred water) – For purification and divine energy

🌺 After Abhishek, Maa Skandamata is adorned with yellow flowers and silk clothes.

6️⃣ Offerings & Bhog (Naivedya to Maa Skandamata)

📌 Special offerings are made to please Maa Skandamata:

🔸 Bananas – Symbolizing nourishment and well-being
🔸 Coconut – For divine blessings
🔸 Yellow flowers – Representing wisdom and peace
🔸 Sweets (Halwa, Kheer, or Malpua) – As bhog for the goddess

🌿 Offering bananas and kheer to Maa Skandamata is believed to bring health and prosperity to the family.

7️⃣ Recitation of Durga Saptashati & Mantras

📌 Devotees recite Durga Saptashati (Chapter 5) to invoke Maa Skandamata’s blessings.
📌 Chanting the following mantras grants wisdom, success, and divine protection:

🔹 Beej Mantra:
🕉️ “Om Hreem Skandamatayai Namah”

🔹 Navarna Mantra:
🕉️ “Om Aim Hreem Kleem Chamundaye Vichche”

🔹 Durga Stuti & Durga Chalisa are also recited for divine grace.

🌺 Chanting these mantras removes ignorance, brings success, and grants spiritual wisdom.

8️⃣ Skandamata Aarti (Sacred Fire Ritual)

📌 Aarti is performed with camphor (kapoor), ghee diya, and bells.
📌 Devotees sing the Skandamata Aarti, seeking Maa’s divine blessings.

🔥 The Aarti purifies the atmosphere and brings positive vibrations. 🔥

9️⃣ Prasad Distribution & Blessings

📌 After Aarti, Prasad (Bananas, kheer, and sweets) is distributed.
📌 Devotees seek the blessings of elders and share the divine energy with family members.

🌺 “By worshipping Maa Skandamata, devotees are blessed with wisdom, peace, and divine protection!” 🌺

🔹 Benefits of Skandamata Pooja

✅ Blesses devotees with wisdom, intelligence, and success.
✅ Provides divine protection and maternal blessings.
✅ Grants good health and happiness in family life.
✅ Removes ignorance and fills life with peace.
✅ Brings spiritual enlightenment and clarity of mind.

🙏 May Maa Skandamata bless you with wisdom, protection, and happiness! 🙏

🌺 “Om Devi Skandamatayai Namah!” 🌺